The Manitoba government says it’s expanding access for a COVID-19 bivalent booster to people 18 and older.
Eligible Manitobans can start booking appointments Thursday through the province’s online service.
Until now, eligibility was limited to people in certain groups, including seniors, people with certain health conditions, Indigenous people, and health-care workers.
The bivalent vaccine, approved by Health Canada, targets the original strain of COVID-19 as well as the Omicron variant.
The province said as of Monday, 3,216 doses of the bivalent vaccine had been administered in Manitoba, and immunizations at personal care home and other facilities are underway.
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On Sept. 2, Dr. Jazz Atwal, Manitoba’s deputy chief provincial public health officer, said the province is expecting a shipment of 27,650 doses of the new COVID-19 bivalent vaccine.
An additional 77,600 doses were also confirmed for the week of Sept. 12.
To get the bivalent vaccine, Manitobans must have completed their primary two doses of vaccine, and it’s recommended that you wait six months after a previous dose of vaccine or a COVID-19 infection.
The province said people who meet the criteria can get the bivalent vaccine after three months, if they feel they’re at increased risk.
Manitoba’s chief provincial health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, will be providing an update on the province’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts Wednesday afternoon.
With files from The Canadian Press